MALIBU—In
the aftermath of the Boston marathon explosions on Monday, April 15, the
daughter of Ralph Mechur, a Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School Board member,
had a friend text her father and inform him that she is safe.

Boston marathon explosion. Photo courtesy Facebook.

Jayme
Mechur, 31, was still a ways from the end of the race when the two blasts went
off right near the finish line. The explosions killed three people and left
more than 170 injured.

Ralph
Mechur lives and works in Santa Monica and apparently had only just learned of
the explosions when his daughter’s friend texted him.

According
to the Boston Marathon entry list, a total of 21 Santa Monica residents and
three Malibu residents were registered to run the marathon on Monday.

People
trying to get in touch with family and friends in Boston can use the Red
Cross’s Safe and Well website. Those that were near the site of the explosions
can register themselves as “safe and well” on the site.

Mechur
said that he is sad about the incident that occurred yesterday in Boston, but
he is happy that his daughter is safe.